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[Federal Register: March 15, 2011 (Volume 76, Number 50)]
[Notices]               
[Page 13988-13989]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr15mr11-47]                         

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CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION

 
Notice of Meeting of Chronic Hazard Advisory Panel on Phthalates 
and Phthalate Substitutes

AGENCY: Consumer Product Safety Commission.

ACTION: Notice of meeting.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (``CPSC'' or 
``Commission'') announces the fourth meeting of the Chronic Hazard 
Advisory Panel (CHAP) on phthalates and phthalate substitutes. The 
Commission appointed this CHAP to study the effects on children's 
health of all phthalates and phthalate alternatives as used in 
children's toys and child care articles, pursuant to section 108 of the 
Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA) (Pub. L. 110-
314).

DATES: The meeting will be held on Wednesday, March 30, 2011, and 
Thursday, March 31, 2011. The meeting will begin at approximately 8 
a.m. on both days. It will end at approximately 5 p.m. on Wednesday and 
at approximately 3 p.m. on Thursday.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held in Room 410 at the Commission's 
offices at 4330 East West Highway, Bethesda, MD 20814.
    Registration and Webcast: Members of the public who wish to attend 
the meeting may register on the day of the meeting. There will not be 
any opportunity for public participation at this meeting. A live 
Webcast will not be

[[Page 13989]]

available. However, the meeting will be recorded and posted on the 
CPSC's Web site.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael Babich, Directorate for Health 
Sciences, U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Bethesda, MD 20814; 
telephone (301) 504-7253; e-mail mbabich@cpsc.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 108 of the CPSIA permanently 
prohibits the sale of any ``children's toy or child care article'' 
containing more than 0.1 percent of each of three specified 
phthalates--di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), dibutyl phthalate 
(DBP), and benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP). Section 108 of the CPSIA also 
prohibits, on an interim basis, the sale of any ``children's toy that 
can be placed in a child's mouth'' or ``child care article'' containing 
more than 0.1 percent of each of three additional phthalates--
diisononyl phthalate (DINP), diisodecyl phthalate (DIDP), and di-n-
octyl phthalate (DNOP).
    Moreover, section 108 of the CPSIA requires the Commission to 
convene a CHAP ``to study the effects on children's health of all 
phthalates and phthalate alternatives as used in children's toys and 
child care articles.'' The CPSIA requires the CHAP to complete an 
examination of the full range of phthalates that are used in products 
for children and:
     Examine all of the potential health effects (including 
endocrine disrupting effects) of the full range of phthalates;
     Consider the potential health effects of each of these 
phthalates, both in isolation and in combination with other phthalates;
     Examine the likely levels of children's, pregnant women's, 
and others' exposure to phthalates, based upon a reasonable estimation 
of normal and foreseeable use and abuse of such products;
     Consider the cumulative effect of total exposure to 
phthalates, from children's products and from other sources, such as 
personal care products;
     Review all relevant data, including the most recent, best 
available, peer-reviewed, scientific studies of these phthalates and 
phthalate alternatives that employ objective data-collection practices 
or employ other objective methods;
     Consider the health effects of phthalates not only from 
ingestion but also as a result of dermal, hand-to-mouth, or other 
exposure;
     Consider the level at which there is a reasonable 
certainty of no harm to children, pregnant women, or other susceptible 
individuals and their offspring, reviewing the best available science, 
and using sufficient safety factors to account for uncertainties 
regarding exposure and susceptibility of children, pregnant women, and 
other potentially susceptible individuals; and
     Consider possible similar health effects of phthalate 
alternatives used in children's toys and child care articles.
    The CPSIA contemplates completion of the CHAP's examination within 
18 months of the panel's appointment. The CHAP must review prior work 
on phthalates by the Commission, but the prior work is not to be 
considered determinative, as the CHAP's examination must be conducted 
de novo.
    The CHAP must make recommendations to the Commission which 
phthalates (or combinations of phthalates) in addition to those 
identified in section 108 of the CPSIA or phthalate alternatives that 
the panel determines should be prohibited from use in children's toys 
or child care articles or otherwise restricted. The CHAP members were 
selected by the Commission from scientists nominated by the National 
Academy of Sciences. See 15 U.S.C. 2077, 2030(b).
    The CHAP met previously in April, July, and December 2010. The CHAP 
heard testimony from interested parties at the July meeting. The March 
2011 meeting will include discussion of the CHAP's progress toward its 
analysis of potential risks from phthalates and phthalate substitutes. 
There will not be any opportunity for public comment at the March 30-31 
meeting.

    Dated: March 10, 2011.
Todd A. Stevenson,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2011-6020 Filed 3-14-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6355-01-P
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